Tuesday, April 9, 2013

My last full day in Australia, sniff. So sad to leave. But I'm excited to see my kids, and considering the abundance of prezzies in my suitcase, they're going to want me to do a vacation like this every year, right kids?

We drove to Manly Beach and rode the ferry to Circular Quay. It was cool to see the harbor, and there are a bunch of cliffs that look like the Cliffs of Insanity. Elaine went on a tour of the Sydney Opera House and Claire and I and the kids walked over to the Botanical Gardens and let the kids run around a little bit and did Facetime with Grandma and Grandpa BB. Then we met Elaine, who told us some very interesting stories about the Opera House (e.g. the seats are designed to resonate like a human body, so that whether you're playing an empty or full hall the sound is the same), missed our ferry back to Manly, ate at an overpriced but delicious tourist trap restaurant, then caught the ferry to Manly. I cooked tomato soup and Dutch oven bread for dinner, and then we began the laborious process of returning some sense of order to our luggage. I am very, very glad that I brought an extra suitcase.

This morning we got up and got ready. My suitcases are wicked heavy. Claire and the kids took us to the airport and we said our goodbyes. I cried of course, because our wonderful vacation is over, and I still have a bunch of time before I see my family. It's the worst part of a trip. It was a glorious time, and I am thoroughly charmed by Australia. It is fascinating. I'm sure America is that way too if you aren't jaded by a lifetime of residence therein, so I will have to do a better job of sightseeing in my own country.